Heuchera sp. 
xe2x80x98Silver Lodexe2x80x99.
The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Heuchera plant, botanically known as Heuchera sp. and hereinafter referred to by the name xe2x80x98Silver Lodexe2x80x99.
The new Heuchera is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Scottdale, Pa. The objective of the breeding program is to create new Heuchera cultivars having good plant vigor, dense and uniform plant habit, and showy and attractive flower and leaf coloration.
The new Heuchera was discovered by the Inventor in a controlled environment in Scottdale, Pa., from seedling progeny from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in May, 1996, of the Heuchera cultivar Petite Bronze Pearl, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with the Heuchera cultivar Harmonic Convergence, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,111, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Heuchera was selected by the Inventor in May, 1997. The selection of this plant was based on its desirable flower and foliage coloration.
Asexual reproduction of the new Heuchera by cuttings taken in a controlled environment in Scottdale, Pa., since August, 1997, has shown that the unique features of this new Heuchera are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
The cultivar Silver Lode has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Silver Lodexe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Silver Lodexe2x80x99 as a new and distinct cultivar:
1. Full and densely foliated; uniformly mounded plant habit.
2. Upper leaf surfaces gray green in color with contrasting darker gray green venation; lower leaf surfaces dark red purple in color.
3. Numerous showy white flowers arranged on erect panicles.
4. Tight cylindrical panicle arrangement.
5. Excellent garden performance.
Plants of the new Heuchera differ from plants of the female parent, the cultivar Petite Bronze Pearl, in side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Scottdale, Pa. in the following characteristics:
1. Upper leaf surfaces of plants of the new Heuchera are gray green in color whereas upper leaf surfaces of plants of the cultivar Petite Bronze Pearl are bronze in color.
2. Leaves of plants of the new Heuchera are larger than leaves of plants of the cultivar Petite Bronze Pearl.
3. Plants of the new Heuchara have taller panicles than plants of the cultivar Petite Bronze Pearl.
4. Sepal color of plants of the new Heuchera is white whereas sepal color of plants of the cultivar Petite Bronze Pearl is light pink.
Plants of the new Heuchera differ from plants of the male parent, the cultivar Harmonic Convergence, in side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Scottdale, Pa. in the following characteristics:
1. Upper leaf surfaces of plants of the new Heuchera are more gray green in color than upper leaf surfaces of plants of the cultivar Harmonic Convergence.
2. Panicles of plants of the new Heuchera are upright whereas panicles of plants of the cultivar Harmonic Convergence are upright to outwardly spreading.
3. Panicles of plants of the new Heuchera are not basally branching whereas panicles of plants of the cultivar Harmonic Convergence are basally branching.
4. Sepal color of plants of the new Heuchera is white whereas sepal color of plants of the cultivar Harmonic Convergence is pink.
5. Petals of plants of the new Heuchera are not recurved whereas petals of plants of the cultivar Harmonic Convergence are recurved.
Compared to plants of the sibling cultivar Raspberry Ice, U.S. Plant Patent application filed concurrently with this application, plants of the new Heuchera have more upright panicles, develop more panicles per plant during the flowering season and also differ in flower color as plants of the cultivar Raspberry Ice have pink-colored flowers.
Plants of the new Heuchera can be compared to plants of the cultivar Silver Scrolls, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,066. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Scottdale, Pa., plants of the new Heuchera differed from plants of the cultivar Silver Scrolls in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Heuchera have taller panicles than plants of the cultivar Silver Scrolls.
2. Upper leaf surfaces of plants of the new Heuchera do not have a metallic sheen whereas upper leaf surfaces of the cultivar Silver Scrolls have a metallic sheen.
Plants of the new Heuchera can also be compared to plants of the cultivar Pewter Veil, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,984. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Scottdale, Pa., plants of the new Heuchera differed from plants of the cultivar Pewter Veil in the following characteristics:
1. Upper leaf sufaces of plants of the new Heuchera are gray green in color with contrasting darker gray green venation whereas upper leaf surfaces of plants of the cultivar Pewter Veil are gray green suffused with purple coloration.
2. Panicles of plants of the new Heuchera are erect whereas panicles of plants of the cultivar Pewter Veil are outwardly spreading.
3. Plants of the new Heuchera have showy white-colored flowers whereas plants of the cultivar Pewter Veil have non-showy yellow green-colored flowers.